Halaman

Saturday, June 3, 2017

The 13th Disciple: The Number of the Antichrist or the Beast

Question 5: Some people narrate the saying of Father Zakaria Botros, as he calculated the number 666 from the Book of Revelation, so he found the following, “Satan comes from Mecca .” And his intention is clear . So how does Imam Ahmad al-Hassan respond?

Answer: Your saying that a person calculated that Satan comes from Mecca, and that it equals the number of the Antichrist or the Beast, as in the vision of John; these are false and worthless words, as the passage says that the number of the name of the beast equals this number, so is the sentence “Satan comes from Mecca” a name of a person or is it just an assembly of words for the purpose of a blind satanic prejudice against the Messenger of Allah Muhammad pbuhap? This is without consideration of the fact that this claimed calculation is denied and incorrect .

And this is the complete text, to be contemplated by every just person who knows the truth:

[1] And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads . [2] And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth . And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. [3] One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast . [4] And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”

[5] And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months . [6] It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven . [7] Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them . And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, [8] and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain . [9] If anyone has an ear, let him hear: [10] If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain . Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints . [11] Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth . It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon . [12] It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed . [13] It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, [14] and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived . [15] And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain . [16] Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, [17] so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name . [18] This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666 .] Revelation Chapter 13 .

Note that the number is disagreed upon, because there are two versions: in one of them the number is 666, and in the other the number is 616.[1] So the just person who wants the truth will see clearly that this is a method of a person prejudiced against the Messenger of Allah Muhammad pbuhap, who only wants to insult [him pbuhap] . And we rise above this, may Allah grant you success .

Also, he will see clearly that this is a person who follows the path of Satan, so by their fruits you shall recognize them . And these are their fruits: insults and foul and obscene words . So from these you recognize them, and you will recognize that they are satans provoked by satans, and they speak for Satan.

Moreover, everyone must note that it is not fair for Muhammad pbuhap to be burdened with the acts of the Wahhabis from some of the Arabs of the peninsula and their followers, although the Quran criticizes them and criticizes their criminal acts .

The one who burdens Muhammad pbuhap and Islam with the acts of the Wahhabis is more emphatically blaming Jesus pbuh, Christianity, the Torah and the Gospel for all the actions of Constantine and the likes of him, or at least for the crimes of the Church in the past centuries such as murdering, torturing, and burning alive those who disagree with them under the slogans of blasphemy, heresy and fighting Christianity and the Church, which are no less ugly than the crimes of the Wahhabis .

[1] Scientists at Oxford University were able to read fragments of one of the oldest manuscripts of Revelation by using advanced imaging technology. The manuscript, called Papyrus 115 (P115) and (P115) was discovered in Oxyrhynchus (Al-Bahnasa, Egypt) . Dating back to the 3rd century, it states the number of the beast as 616 (Greek:χις) with the use of (ι) instead of (ξ) like most manuscripts . David Parker, a Professor of New Testament Textual Criticism and Palaeography at the University of Birmingham, believes that the number 616 is the original one despite the fact that the number (666) is easier to remember . He says,“Scientists have discussed the issue considerably and there is disagreement . Currently, it seems that 616 is the original number for the Beast . And it is the most likely one since the manuscript precedes the other version by almost 100 years .”